Here at Shawton Energy, we’re proud to be leading the charge in commercial solar solutions.
Collectively, our team has over 100 years of experience in the renewable energy sector, having worked on a range of large-scale solar installations for industries such as education, warehousing, manufacturing, hospitality, retail, and farming.
Each of our solar specialists is passionate about the environment and about helping our clients to decarbonise their operations – reducing their carbon footprint, saving on energy costs, and futureproofing their business.
In our latest blog series, we speak to the people behind the panels, getting to know more about their industry experience, and their hopes for the sector.
First up, we have Steve Bingham our Strategic Account Manager.
Describe your role and what a typical working day looks like for you:
As a Strategic Account Manager, my role is to support businesses looking to explore commercial solar PV systems, driving strategic sales as a result. These sales include both client-funded projects as well as Shawton Energy’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), which is where we completely fund and install commercial solar solutions. This allows businesses to benefit from sustainable and affordable solar power, without worrying about any initial capital expenses.
I also don’t really have a typical day as each one is so varied. However, during a working week, I tend to have numerous introductory calls – running through our solar solutions with potential clients and finding out their needs. I also conduct technical site visits before preparing proposals detailing costs and savings.
How long have you worked in the solar energy field and what drew you to it?
I’ve now been in the solar energy field for 15 years – starting with solar hot water and now large-scale solar PV projects. Solar energy is a fascinating and vital technology, central to the national – and global – move towards a net-zero planet.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The diversity is my number one highlight. One day I can be sat at home working at my laptop and the next I could be on the other side of the country on a potential client’s site.
Despite this though, the best feeling is always securing a contract and building a partnership with a business – helping them to kickstart their solar energy journey.
Sum up the culture at Shawton Energy in three words:
Driven, friendly and focused.
What has been one of your favourite projects to date and why
My favourite project in my career so far was rolling out 5MW of solar across all the new Aldi stores. Aldi is a massive business operating all over the world, and therefore its energy requirements are substantial. Helping the company to take control of its carbon emissions and create green energy was a proud moment.
What piece of advice would you give to businesses looking to explore commercial solar solutions?
Take the leap and make the call. You’ll save money instantly – see our fully funded PPA – and reduce your carbon footprint, too.
What is one of the biggest challenges facing the UK’s solar industry and how can this be overcome?
Grid capacity is the biggest challenge we face in the UK. Once firms commit to solar energy, they sometimes face the obstacle of the District Network Operators (DNOs) because there is no grid capacity. One way this can be overcome is by encouraging the self-generation of energy – creating energy on site to be used on site is a key way to avoid over-burdening the Grid.
Investing in commercial solar panels is a big decision – why do you think clients choose Shawton Energy?
There are many reasons. Firstly, we’re professional. We’re a traditional family business with over 25 years of honest and hardworking experience. Over this time we’ve amassed a variety of high-profile clients – such as Dakota Manchester, Valley Hydraulics, Uniroyal Global and more – for whom we’ve completed landmark projects. We’re a personable business too. Not only do customers know they’re getting a great service from us, but they can also have genuine, honest conversations with the people working directly on their account. Finally, our commercial partnership with Lazard – a significant and forward-thinking investor – is a strong reflection of the quality we provide and illustrates a vote of confidence that we’re a very reliable and robust business.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that other people may not know:
I direct and star in local amateur musicals in and around Coventry.
Finally, what are your hopes for the sector over the next five years?
My hopes are that the Government changes legislation to truly prioritise decarbonisation.
This could include making it mandatory for commercial buildings to install renewable energy technologies such as solar panels. But this legislation must also be accompanied by significant upgrades to the Grid.
If you’d like to find out more about how solar energy can help your business to decarbonise and save money, get in touch with our team via email hello@shawtonenergy.co.uk or phone 01925 794 874.
Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn for more tips, resources, and updates, too!
